The Mohawk Valley Blues Society has teamed up with the Kirkland Art Center in Clinton to present the return of the Jeremy Wallace Trio Saturday, Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
Wallace’s sound has been described as edgy and uses his own life experiences as the backdrop for his lyrics. He incorporates elements of folk, rock, country and blues to forge a sound akin to a young Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits.
In his formative years, Wallace came under the tutelage of folk legend Dave Van Ronk, the inspiration for the 2013 Coen Brothers film “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Van Ronk exposed the young artist to the music of Leadbelly, Kokomo Arnold and Charlie Patton, sending him away after 18 months with the words, “You got it in you to be a musician, but it doesn’t mean anything. If there’s anything else you can do besides this, do it. The business will break your heart.” Van Ronk once said of Wallace, “He’s one of the most arresting new talents I’ve ever heard. When I hear him I get the same feeling I got the first time I heard Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie.”
Wallace obviously didn’t take his mentor’s advice, putting out three albums, My Lucky Day, She Used to Call Me Honey and his most current release, Suicide Suitcase,mix of original arrangements of traditional songs and new material.
Wallace’s dark humor and his rock solid band, Matt Gruenberg on bass and Tom Costagliola on drums, will weave tales of woe as well as wistfulness in the intimate setting of the Kirkland Art Center.
General admission tickets for the 6:30 show are available through Eventbrite or at the door. Tickets are $18 for the general public and $15 for Kirkland Art Center members.
Saturday’s ticketed event ($25 advance, $35 day of show) has a jaw-dropping amount of talented musicians. Acts will alternate between the main infield stage and the tent stage.